Surface hardening apparatus



D. A. RUTHERFORD ET AL 3,300,197

SURFACE HARDENING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 3x 5 Mb JQ Jan. 24, 1967Filed Oct. 30, 1963 NN pm WM QQ SOS R v E L N mm w, HW M T mT H Um 3 ATR we w VB a A0 J DR Y. B

Jan, 1967 D. A. RUTHERFORD ET AL SURFACE HARDENING APPARATUS Filed Oct.so, 1963 Qsw B 6% Jan. 24, 1957 RUTHERFORD ET AL 3,300,197

SURFACE HARDENING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 30 1963INVENTORS. DAVID A. RUTHERFORD ROBERT J. M WILLIAMS a61111. 24, 1967RUTHERFORD ET AL 3,300,197

SURFACE HARDEN'ING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed 001:. 30, 1963INVENTORS. DAVID A. RUTHERFORD ROBERT J. M WILLIAMS United States PatentDelaware Filed Oct. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 320,193 9 Claims. (Cl. 2664) Theinvention relates to a method of and an apparatus for surface treatingrailroad rails, and more particularly to surface hardening the head of arail.

Railroad rails have been surface treated heretofore by applying heat tothe top surface of a single rail clamped to a stationary bed with amovable flame head traversing above the top surface of the head of therail. After the head of the rail had its top surface quenched, the rail,in most instances, was so distorted that the rail had to be subsequentlystraightened in a straightening machine, accordingly, an object of thepresent invention is to increase the efficiency of rail treatingoperations by heat treating in a novel fashion a pair of rails simultaneously. Another'object of the invention is to eliminate thedistortion necessitating straightening of the rails by a novel manner ofheating not only of the head of the rail but also of the Web and base ofthe rail.

According to the method practiced under the present invention, a pair ofrails are juxtaposed with their bases adjacent one another to form apocket between the interior surfaces of opposed heads, webs and bases ofthe rails. The flame heads direct heat downwardly on the top surfaces ofthe heads of the rails to raise the surfaces above the criticaltemperature for steel. Deflectors deflect 'heat downwardly along theside surfaces of the heads of the rails and over the webs and bases ofthe rails as the rails are being moved past the flame heads.Accordingly, a further object of the invention is the method ofpositioning a pair of rails with their bases abutted and deflecting heatfrom a flame head along the sides of the head of the rail, the web, andthe base of the rail to heat these elements in order to eliminatedistortion of the rail that necessitates a' straightening operation.

Another object of the invention is to make more efficient utilization ofthe heat generated by the flame heads and to prevent the heat of theflame heads from escaping upwardly and damaging pipes and hoses leadingto the flame head and to the quenching heads at a quenching station.More specifically, an object of the present invention is to create anair layer or curtain of cold air over the flame heads whereby the heatescaping from the flame heads is forced downwardly along the rails topreheat the rails, and whereby this heat is prevented from its normalconvection rise into the area of the pipes and hoses of the heattreating station.

Under the present invention and according to one of its objects, railsare pulled through the surface treating station by a novel wheeled,driving mechanism rather than having to be clamped to a stationary bedwhile a heating head is moved thereacross.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description and claims and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, which, by way of illustration, show preferredembodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and whatis now considered to be the best mode contemplated for applying theseprinciples. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same orequivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made asdesired by those skilled in the art without departing from the FIG. 1 isa front elevational view showing a rail being pulled through asurface-treating station by a driving mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1 and inthe direction of the arrows showing side roller guides for urging a pairof rails to abut the edges of their respective inner base surfacestogther;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a mounting plate supporting the flameheads;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing the surface-treatingstation and deflector blocks deflecting the heat to the heads, webs andbases of a pair of rails;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the flame head andquenching head;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing an air pipe generating a layer orcurtain of air forcing heated air downwardly to preheat the rails; and

FIG. 7 is an. enlarged side elevational view showing an adjustablemounting for the flame and quenching head. Referring now to thedrawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 4, one rail 10R, of apair of rails 10R and 10L, is shown being pulled through a surfacetreating station 11 by a wheeled, electromotive driving device 12. Theheat treating st-ation 11 is supported be tween a series of parallel,and spaced horizontal support beams 14 which are in turn supported by aplurality of upstanding supporting legs 15. The supporting beams 14 areI-shaped beams, and adjacent beams 14 are secured together by couplingplates 16 to form a long, rigid, longitudinal extending support.Extending between the beams 14 are series of spaced rollers 17 whichsup-port the rails 10R and 10L being towed thereacross by the drivedevice 12.

As diagrammatic-ally shown in FIG. 1, the rail 10 passes beneath a flamehead 20 which heats the top surface 22 of the head 23 of the rail 10 toabove the critical temperature for steel. Immediately after the topsurface 22 of the rail head 23 moves past the flame head 20, the topsurface 22 is air quenched from a quench head 25 to lower thetemperature of the surface 22 to below the critical temperature forsteel and as a result the top surface 22 becomes hardened. Thisoperation is commonly referred to as a surfacing hardening operation.

The surface treating station 11, as shown in greater I detail in FIG. 4,has a pair of rails 10R and 10L posi- In the drawings:

tioned with the interior side edge portions 26 of their respective bases27 abutted against one another. The bases 27 of the rails are supportedon a pair of adjacent .rollers 17. Each of the rails 10R and 10L isheated by its respectively associated flame head 20R and 20L. Thedesignation of the elements in the specification by an L or R sufliXindicates that a pair of identical elements are being employed and allof the elements having an R suffix have in common the fact that they arefunctionally related to the rail 10R and vice versa.

Heretofore, only one rail at a time was heated, and as shown in FIG. 4,the present invention contemplates the simultaneous treating of tworails 10R and 10L positioned as shown in FIG. 4. When the rails 10R and10L are positioned with their inner side edge portions 26 of theirrespective flanges 27 in engagement, an interior groove or pocket 30 isformed into which heated air from the flame heads 20R and 20L,respectively, moves downwardly across the side surfaces 32 of the heads23 of the rails and into the pocket formed between the opposed webs 34of the rails 10R and 10L respectively. Inactual practice, it has beenfound that it is desirable to surface harden not only the top surface 22of the rails, .but also the side surfaces 32 of the heads 23. Since itis desired to surface harden the side surfaces 32 ofthe heads 23 inaccordance with invention, suflicient heat is provided to raise thetemperature of the sides 32 of the heads 23 above the criticaltemperature. Additionally, sufiicient heat is generated to heat the webs34 and base 27 at the interior of the rails, though not to the criticaltemperature. This additional heating of the sides 32 of the heads 23,bases 27 and webs 34 has been found to counteract excessive contractingand expansion occurring in the rails that caused the distortionheretofore experienced that necessitated a latter straighteningoperation.

For the purpose of heating the outer side surfaces 32 of the heads ofthe rails 23, deflector blocks 37 are positioned adjacent the sidesurfaces 32 and are preferably canted at an oblique angle to the normalto direct some of the heat generated by the flame heads 20R and 20L intocontact with the exterior or outer sides 32 of the head 23, web 24 andbases 27. The deflector blocks 37 are shown in FIG. 4 as being supportedby angularly bent brackets 38 having an upper portion 39 hooked abouttheir respective flame heads 20R and 26L and having a lower, hookedportion 40 in which are carried the deflector blocks 37.

The deflector blocks 37 must withstand high temperatures and are,accordingly, formed of fire brick or other heat-resistant materials. Thedeflector blocks 37 are positioned relatively near the heads 23 of therails and inclined at an angle sufficient to obtain the desiredreflection. In practice, the outer edges of the deflector blocks 37 areusually placed about one inch from the closest portion of the outersurface 32 of a head 23 of a rail, and inclined at a small angle to thenormal in order to direct the heated air downwardly along the exteriorof a web 34 and against a base 27 of rail R and 10L.

For the purpose of increasing the efficient utilization of the heatgenerated by a flame head 20, which heat has in the past been allowed torise by convection and to be dissipated, a curtain or layer of cold air41, FIG. 6, is directed over the hot air leaving the flame head 20. Thecold air originates from an apertured air pipe 42 connected to a sourceof compressed air. The layer of air 41 forces the hot air downwardlyalong the heads 23, webs and bases 27 of the rails as they enter theheat treating station 11 to preheat these rails prior to their entryinto the surface treating station 11.

- The air curtain 41 performs an additional function in that it preventsthe heat from rising or escaping upwardly of the flame head 29 in thevicinity of the flame head 20, thereby protecting the hoses, pipes andother elements located above the flame head 20, which elements wouldhave to be insulated against the extreme heated air rising from theflame heads 20 if the air curtain 41 were not present.

The rails MR and 10L are first quenched by air immediately after passingthrough the area of the flame head 20 and then are further reduced intemperature by a by a water quench which prevents residual heat fromremaining within the thick heated head 23 which residually heatedportion could cause distortion. As seen in FIG. 5, the flame head 20 hasa top cover plate 45 through which projects a pipe 46 adapted to beconnected to a line carrying a mixture of gas and oxygen. The top coverplate 45 is in watertight engagement with upstanding walls 47 and formstherewith a water chamber 48 through which is circulated cooling waterfrom an inlet pipe 49 to an outlet pipe 50. The mixed gas and oxygenfrom the pipe 46 enters an enclosed primary chamber 51 and moves throughapertures 52 in a baffle plate 53 to a secondary chamber 54 prior toemerging from ports 55 formed in the bottom wall 56 of the flame head20. The gas and oxygen mixture is, of course, burning exteriorally ofthe flame heads 20 and this burning furnishes the heat for the surfaceheating of the rails 10R and 10L.

The quench head 25 has a first air quenching chamber 59 for directingair through ports 60 and across the top surface 22 of a rail. Quenchhead 25 has a water chamber 62 for secondary quenching with waterleaving through ports 63. As shown in FIG. 5, the quench head 25 issecured in close proximity to the flame head 20 by a nut and bolt typeof fastener 64. Air enters through a pipe 65 into the air chamber 59which is separated from the water chamber 62 by an enclosing wall 66.The water enters through a water pipe 67 and flows across the top of thewall 66 into the water chamber 62 whence it leaves through the ports 63.

To achieve the desired versatility of employing a single machine forvarying sizes of rails, the flame head 20 and quench head 25 areadjustably supported at the treating station for lateral and verticalmovement. More specifically, the turning of a hand wheel 70, FIG. 7,causes a supporting column 71 for the flame head 20 to move vertically;and the turning of a hand wheel 72 causes a horizontal and lateralmovement of a column 71 and the flame head 20.

The hand wheels and 72) and the supporting column 71 for the flame head20 are supported on a flat horizontal mounting plate 74 which is securedby a pair of forward supporting legs 75 and a rearward supporting leg 76to the I beams 14, FIG. 1.

The mounting plate 74 has a generally rectangular shaped opening 77,FIG. 3, through which opening eX- tends each of the supporting columns71 which are shown in FIG. 7 as being secured by a fitting 72 to theflame head 20.

In order to move a flame head 20 and quench head 25 vertically, a handwheel 70 is turned to rotate a worm shaft 79 in a nut 80 to move the nut80 vertically along the threaded shaft 79. The nut 80 is fastened to abracket 81, which is clamped to the column 71 by fasteners 82. The endof the threaded shaft 79 is formed with an enlarged, circular, endportion 83 held within a race or groove 84 in a housing race 85. Theenlarged end 83 is prevented by the housing race 85 from movingvertically, but is permitted to slide laterally in response to theturning of hand wheel 72.

To move a column 71 and its attached flame head 20 vertically, a handwheel 76 is turned and as the threaded shaft 79 turns in the nut 80, thenut 86 moves vertically along with the bracket 81 to move the clampedcolumn 71. The nut 80* is prevented from turning with the shaft 79 andis guided in its vertical movement by a guide rod 87 projecting througha guide bore 88 in the nut 84 Since the quench head 25 is attached tothe flame head 24 both the flame head 20 and quench head 25 are movedsimultaneously with a column 71 to position the flames, quenching air,and quenching water at a desired distance from the top surface 22 of arail.

When it is desired to move a flame head 2t) and a quench head 25laterally, a hand wheel 72 is turned and rotates its shaft 93 to rotatea spur gear 91, secured to the shaft 9%, to move the spur gear 91 alonga horizontal and toothed rack 92. Shaft is journaled in the housingsupport 94. The housing support 94 has a lower U- shaped portion 95 inslideable engagement with the side walls on the tooth rack bar 96 sothat the housing 94- is confined to sliding transversely along the rackbar 96 as the spur gear 91 is rotated across the rack 92. For thepurpose of horizontally moving a column 71 and an attached flame head20, the housing support 94 has secured thereto a guide strap 97 whichhas an outer end portion 194), FIG. 7, apertured to permit the column 71to slide vertically therein. The guide strap 97 guides the verticalmovement of the column 71 at its lower por tion and guides the column 71for horizontal movement with the support housing 94 to which the guidestrap 97 is secured.

In addition to rack bar 96, the opening 77 in the mounting plate isspanned by a bracing bar 98 secured by nuts and bolts 99, which bar 98serves to brace the mounting plate 74 at the opening 77.

In order to simplify the description, the various hose and pipeconnections have not been shown but the inlets and outlets connectionsare described. Water is furnished from a water tank 1tl0a carried onmounting plate 74. The mixed oxygen and gas mixture is supplied bymixing valves 101R and 101L, shown diagrammatically, on the mountingplate 74. More specifically, water from water tank 100a leaves one ofthe couplings 111 and is directed to couplings 105R and 105L that leadto water inlet pipes 49 entering the water chamber 48, FIG. 5, of flamehead 20. Water exits the chamber 48 via pipe 50 and couplings 106R and Lto a catch basin (not shown). The oxygen and gas mixture from mixingvalves 101R and L goes through couplings 108R and 108L to pipe 46, FIG.5, in the flame head 20, where it is burned to create the heat necessaryfor surface hardening. Water from coupling 111 of the water tank 100 isfed to conplings 110R and 110L leading to the quench heads .25.Couplings 112R and 112L receive air from outlet couplings 113R and 113Lof an air chamber 114 and furnish the air for the air pipe 65 shown inFIG. leading to the air chamber 59.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 7, the air tank 114 receives air from a linesource 115 of air and delivers air through its outlet 116 to theperforated pipe42, which blows air across the top of the flame head 20.The air is under considerable pressure and leaves the pipe 42 atsufficient velocity to drive the heated air rising above the flame head20 forwardly and downwardly away from the hoses and pipes (not shown)which are situated above the flame head 20 and quench head 25. The airtank 114 has a gate valve 120 to control the flow of air through thepipe 42. At the opposite end of the pipe 42, a handle 121, FIG. 3, isprovided for rotating the pipe 42 within a coupling 122 so that thedirection of the air stream or air curtain can be varied to the degreenecessary to obtain the forcing of the heated air downwardly andforwardly along the rails R and 10L. These rails are thus beingsubjected to a blast of heated air and are being preheated prior toentering the heat treating station 11.

The air tank 114 is supported at its rearward portion by a bracket 124mounted on and extending outwardly of the supporting leg 76. The airtank 114 is supported at its forward portion by a bracket 125 secured toa leg 126, which leg is adapted to be attached to an I-beam 14.

Prior to entry of the rails into the surface treating station 11, therails 10R and 10L are forced toward one another to abut their respectiveinterior side edges 26 of their respective bases together by side rollerguides 130 and 131, FIG. 2, which are positioned on opposite sides ofthe rails 10R and 10L.

The roller guides 130 and 131 are spaced at predetermined intervalsalong the length of the I-beams 14 on the entry or forward side of thesurface treating station 11 to assure that the bases 27 of the rails 10Rand 10L are abutted together when they enter the surface treatingstation 11. Side roller guides are not necessary on the exit side of thesurface treating station 11 since the rails are straight and need not beconstricted or attempted to be straightened.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the side roller guide 130 has a roller 132journalled in an upper supporting flange 133 and a lower supportingflange 134. The supporting flanges 133 and 134 are secured to anL-shaped bracket 135, secured to the I-beam 14. The opposite rollerguide 131 has a spring biased roller 140 which exerts a biasing force onthe base 27 of the rail 10L tending to move the rail 10L laterallyacross its horizontal roller 17. This biasing force assures that thebase 27 of rail 10R is in engagement with its guiding roller 132 andthat the side edges 26 of the respective bases 27 are in engagement.

The roller 141) has its ends journalled in opposed flanges 141 and-142which are secured to a central and vertically extending support 143.Secured to the vertical support 143 is a piston-like, cylindricalextension 144 which extends into a cylinder-like collar 148 secured to avertical leg 146 of an L-shaped bracket 145. The L- shaped bracket issecured to the I-beam 14. The collar'148 receives the cylindricalextension 144 of the support 143 and guides the extension 144 forreciprocal movement like a piston in a cylinder. The cylindrical collar148 has a pair of opposed studs 149 welded to its outer peripheralsurface. A spring plate 150 is bolted to the studs 149. Secured to thespring plate 150 is a cylindrical sleeve 151 in which is disposed acompressed, coil spring 152. Spring 152 bears against the spring plate150 and against the piston-like cylindrical extension 144 to urge thecylindrical extension 144, the support 143, and the roller 140 towardthe opposite roller guide 130. Thus, the spring 152 biases the roller141) against the base 127 of the rail 10L. In this manner, the biasingroller guides 130 and 131 assure that the bases 27 of the rails 10R and10L are abutted at their respective interior por-' tions 26 of theirbases 27.

To attach the rails 10R and 10L to a pull bar 161 of the electromotivedrive mechanism 12, the rails 10R and 10L are joined together by a pin160, FIG. 1. The electromotive mechanism 12 has an electric motor andgear reducing drive under a cover 162 which cause rotation of a spurgear 163 by means of an interconnecting chain (not shown), the spur gear163 traveling along a stationary tooth rack 164. The tooth rack 164 issupported by the spaced axles 166, FIG. 4, and as shown in FIG. 4, ismedially disposed between the pairs of opposed rollers 17.

As apparent from FIG. 1, the electromotive drive mechanism 12 isprovided with wheels 168 adapted to roll over spaced tracks 169. Thetracks 169 are attached to upstanding legs 170, FIG. 2, of L-shapedbrackets 171. Thus, as the spur gear 163 is turned by the electric motorand drive gearing arrangement, the spur gear 163 moves along the rack164 and the wheels 168 roll along the opposed tracks 169. In order toassure that the spur gear 163 is properly engaged with the rack 164, thespur gear 163 is mounted on the end of a vertically movable worm shaftwhich is threaded through a nut 176 of an arm 177 on the drive mechanism12.

From the foregoing, it is believed to be apparent that byjuxtapositioning the rails with their bases abutted together andapplying heat in the above-described manner that two rails can besurface hardened simultaneously. Also, by deflecting heat to webs andbases of a pair of rails at the time of heating the top surface of thehead of the rail above critical temperature, a pair of rails can besurface-hardened by a later quenching without the usual accompanyingdistortion, necessitating a straightening operation on the rails.

Also, it should be apparent that the present device also employs a novelair curtain or layer to cause upwardly escaping heated air to be forceddownwardly to preheat the rails and prevent the heated air from damagingthe hose and pipe connections to the flame and quench heads.

Hence, while we have illustrated and described preferred embodiments ofthe present invention, it is to be understood that these are capable ofvariation and modification, and we therefore do not Wish to be limitedto the precise details set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of suchchanges and alterations as fall within the purview of the followingclaims.

We claim:

1. In a surface hardening machine for surface hardening the top portionof a rail and for heating the web and base of a rail to minimize thedistortion in the rail due to an uneven expansion and contraction ofdifferent portions of the rail while undergoing surface hardening, aframe means; means for moving said rail through a surface hardeningstation; a heating means supported by said frame means at said surfacehardening station for directing heat against the top portion of a railto heat the top portion of said rail; deflector means on said framemeans for deflecting heat along the web of said rail and onto the baseof said rail to heat and expand the web and the base of the rail; and anair-blowing means at said surface hardening station for blowing saidheat downwardly and forwardly of said surface hardening station and intoengagement with the rail prior to entry of the rail into the surfacehardening station so as to preheat the rail.

2. In a surface hardening machine having a surface hardening station forsurface hardening a pair of rails in juxtaposition with their respectivebases adjacent one another and including means for moving the railsthrough said station; a frame means; a heating means at said surfacehardening station directing heat against the top portions of the railsto heat the top portions of said rails; deflector means at said surfacehardening station adjacent said heating means for deflecting heat alongthe exterior surfaces of the respective webs of said rails and upon thebases of said rails to heat the Webs and the bases of the rails; and aquenching means at said surface hardening station adjacent said heatingmeans for providing a quenching fluid to lower the temperature of theheated rails.

3. In a surface hardening machinehaving a surface hardening station forsurface hardening a pair of rails in juxtaposition with their respectivebases adjacent one another; a frame means; a conveyor means on saidframe means for moving said rails through the surface hardening station;a heating means at said surface hardening station for directing heatagainst the top portion of a rail to heat the top portions of saidrails; deflector means at said surface hardening station adjacent saidheating means for deflecting heat along the exterior surfaces of therespective webs of said rails and upon the bases of said rails to heatthe webs and the bases of the rails; a quenching means at said surfacehardening station adjacent said heating means providing a quenchingfluid to lower the temperature of the heated rails; and an airblowingmeans at said surface hardening station for blowing said heat downwardlyand forwardly of said surface hardening station and into engagement withthe rails prior to entry of the rails into the surface hardening stationso as to pre-heat the rails.

4. In a surface treating machine for surface treating the top portion ofa rail; a frame means for supporting said rail; heating means carried bysaid frame means for heating the top portion of the rail supported onsaid frame means to surface treat the top portion of said rail;defiector means carried by said frame means and positioned adjacent saidheating means for deflecting heat applied by said heating meansdownwardly along the web of the rail to heat the web and downwardlyacross the base of the rail to heat the base of the rail; means formoving the rail past said heating means; and air-blowing means at saidsurface hardening station for blowing said heat downwardly and forwardlyof said surface hardening station and into engagement with the railprior to entry of the rail into the surface hardening station so as topreheat the rail.

5. In a surface hardening machine for surface hardening the heads of apair of rails in juxtaposition side-by-side with their respective basesabutting one another and for heating their central webs and bases tominimize the distortion in the rails due to the expansion andcontraction of the different portions of the rails; a frame means forsupporting said rails in said side-by-side relationship as said railsare being surface treated, the abutting bases of the rails and theupstanding central webs forming a cavity; heating means carried by saidframe means for directing heat against the heads of the rails to surfacetreat the heads of the rails and for directing heat into said cavity;means for moving the rails past said heating means; deflector meanscarried by aid frame means and positioned adjacent said heating meansand the exterior surfaces of the side walls of the respective heads ofthe rails for deflecting heat from said heating means downwardly alongthe web of the rails to heat the Webs and downwardly across the abuttedbases to heat the bases of the rails; and an air-blowing means at saidsurface hardening station for blowing said heat downwardly and forwardlyof said surface hardening station and into engagement with the railsprior to entry of the rails into the surface hardening station so as topre-heat the rails.

6. In a surface treating machine for surface treating the top portionsof a pair of rails being in juxtaposition at a heating station withtheir respective bases adjacent one another and with their respectivecentral webs forming a hollow cavity therebetween, and including meansto move the rails through said station; a frame means for supportingsaid rails in juxtaposition with their respective bases adjacent oneanother during a surface heating operation; heating means at saidstation carried by said frame means for heating the top portion of therails to surface treat the top portions of said rails; deflector meanscarried by said frame means adjacent said heating means for deflectingheat applied by said heating means downwardly along the webs of therails to heat the webs and downwardly across the bases of the respectiverails to heat the bases of the rails; and an air-blowing means carriedby said frame means adjacent said heating means for blowing a stream ofcold air over the top of said heating means to force heat escaping fromthe heating means to move downwardly along the webs and bases of therespective rails to pre-heat the webs and the bases of the rails priorto the heating by the heat deflected by said reflector means.

7. In a surface treating machine for surface treating the top portionsof a pair of rails being in juxtaposition with their respective basesadjacent one another and with their respective central webs forming ahollow cavity therebetween; a frame means for supporting said rails injuxtaposition with their respective bases adjacent one another during asurface treating operation; heating means carried by said frame meansfor heating the top portion of the rails to surface treat the topportions of said rails; deflector means carried by said frame means andpositioned adjacent the heating means for deflecting heat applied bysaid heating means downwardly along the webs of the rails to heat thewebs and downwardly across the bases of the respective rails to heat thebases of the rails; an air-blowing means carried by said frame meansadjacent said heating means for blowing a stream of cold air over thetop portions of the rails to force heat escaping from the heating meansto move downwardly along the webs and bases of the rails to pre-heat thewebs and the bases of the rails prior to the heating by the heatdeflected by said deflector means; and quenching means carried by saidframe means adjacent said air-blowing means for quenching the topportions of said rails after said rails have been heated by said heatingmeans; and means for moving said rails through said heating means andsaid quenching means.

8. In a surface hardening machine for surface hardening the top portionsof a pair of rails in juxtaposition with the interior side edges oftheir respective bases abutted against one another and their respectivecentral Webs forming a hollow cavity therein; a frame means forsupporting said rails in said juxtapositioned relationship duringsurface hardening; stationary heating means carried by said frame meansfor heating the top portion of the rails to surface harden the topportions of said rails; deflector means carried by said frame means andpositioned adjacent the heating means for deflecting heat applied bysaid heating means downwardly along the Webs of the rails to the basesof said rails; an air-blowing means carried by said frame means adjacentsaid heating means for blowing a stream of cold air over the topportions of the rails to force heat escaping from the heating means tomove downwardly along the webs and bases of the rails to pre-heat thewebs and the bases of the rails prior to the heating by the heatdeflected by said deflector means; means for moving said rails past saidstationary heating means; and positioning means carried by said framemeans for moving said rails to abut at their respective interior sideedges of the bases and for holding said rails with said side edgesabutted as said rails move past said heating means.

9. In a surface hardening machine for surface hardening the top portionsof a pair of rails in juxtaposition with their respective bases adjacentone another and their respective central webs forming a hollow cavitytherein; a frame means having a plurality of spaced rollers forsupporting said rails in said juxtapositioned relationship; a stationaryheating means supported by said frame means for heating the top portionof the rails to surface harden the top portion of said rails; deflectormeans carried by said frame means and positioned adjacent the heatingmeans for deflecting heat applied by said heating means downwardly alongthe web of the rails to the base to each of these rails; an air-blowingmeans carried by said frame means adjacent the heating means for blowinga stream of cold air over the top portions of the rails to force heatrising from said heating means to move downwardly and forwardly alongthe webs and bases of the respective rails to pre-heat the webs and thebases of the rails prior to the heating by the heat deflected by saiddeflector means; quenching means carried by said frame means adjacentsaid heating means and including means affording an air stream forquenching the top portion of said rails after said rails move from saidheating means; said quenching means including a water stream for asubsequent quenching of the rails after quenching by said air stream;track means secured to said frame means and extending along thedirection of said rails; and a motorized drive means for moving alongsaid track means and for attachment to said rails to move said railsover said spaced rollers and through said heating and quenching means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,999,854 4/1935Anderson 29-498 2,367,969 1/1945 Smith 2664 3,193,270 7/1965 Dewez et al2-6646 JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Primary Examiner.

M. L. FAIGUS, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A SURFACE HARDENING MACHINE FOR SURFACE HARDENING THE TOP PORTIONOF A RAIL AND FOR HEATING THE WEB AND BASE OF A RAIL TO MINIMIZE THEDISTORTION IN THE RAIL DUE TO AN UNEVEN EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION OFDIFFERENT PORTIONS OF THE RAIL WHILE UNDERGOING SURFACE HARDENING AFRAME MEANS; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID RAIL THROUGH A SURFACE HARDENINGSTATION; A HEATING MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID FRAME MEANS AT SAID SURFACEHARDENING STATION FOR DIRECTING HEAT AGAINST THE TOP PORTION OF A RAILTO HEAT THE TOP PORTION OF SAID RAIL; DEFLECTOR MEANS ON SAID FRAMEMEANS FOR DEFLECTING HEAT ALONG THE WEB OF SAID RAIL AND ONTO THE BASEOF SAID RAIL TO HEAT AND EXPAND THE WEB AND THE BASE OF THE RAIL; AND ANAIR-BLOWING MEANS AT SAID SURFACE HARDENING STATION FOR BLOWING SAIDHEAT DOWNWARDLY AND FORWARDLY OF SAID SURFACE HARDENING STATION AND INTOENGAGEMENT WITH THE RAIL PRIOR TO ENTRY OF THE RAIL INTO THE SURFACEHARDENING STATION SO AS TO PREHEAT THE RAIL.